Unit Two: Exploring Non-Fiction forms: Essay, Report & Memoir

Memoir Assignment (Assigned September 29)

A Memoir is a non-fiction piece that recalls facts about a personal experience, and informs of the lessons learned or changes that happened due to the event.
For example, people write memoirs about things like:
a time they broke a bone,
had an operation,
survived a car crash,
won a championship game,
got lost and then got found,
or any event that is factual that makes for a good story.

For your memoir, recount and event and how it changed you in 200-300 words.

Here are some Memoirs for you to read!

Inverted Pyramid Reports (Assigned October 3)

Write a 14 point TNR Double spaced one page report about any one of the following:
-a concert or event in Winnipeg
-the St. Vital Mall
-a new video game
-a local artist/musician
-a local athlete
Remember that the report must just give the facts (who, what, when, where, why, & how) WITHOUT providing your personal opinion. Just the facts, just the facts.”

Here are three links to learn more about INVERTED PYRAMID report writing!
DePaul Univ: Scroll Down to "Structure 1"
Surguine Cambridge English
...and Wikipedia!

Demand writing: 250 words in 15 minutes, by hand ()
This assignment has to be done in class, old-school style :)

Making Pictures with Words (Assigned October 7)

Your Task:
1) Choose a picture and think of a good caption and message to work with the image.

2) Choose a PROPERLY LICENCED image from the Creative Commons library in Flickr that will best illustrate your chosen concept: Here is the link: http://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/by-nc-sa-2.0/
http://www.google.ca/advanced_image_search
Scroll to the bottom and select "Usage Rights: free to use, share, or modify, even comercially"

Make sure you properly attribute the photo!3) Modify/Adapt/Edit the image to include text and other graphics that will help to illustrate your idea. You could use a photo editor like http://pixlr.com/ or http://www.ribbet.com/ or software of your own choosing.

4) Send the finished graphic to me as an email attachment, or send me a link where I can see your work!

Writing Business Letters: Compliments and Complaints
(Assigned Oct 14)

Business letters are a typical way that people communicate with businesses. Based on the form below and the examples from class, write a 1 page Business Letter.
Things to remember:
-Use your REAL address and the REAL address of a REAL business.
-You can base your letter on a real experience you had with a business, or you can make it up (it can be fictitous).
-Follow the format and writing tips from the following site:
http://www.xerox.ca/office/small-business/tips/business-letter/enca.html

-Those of you working with a good word processor may want to see if you have a template available.

Writing Reviews (Assigned Oct 20)

A Review is a "second look" at something; it could be a video, a product, a play, or a film.
Write two reviews. The first one is on this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o
The second review is on a video of your choice, that is about 5 minutes long.

Write your Review in Four Paragraphs:
Include a Title (it could be bring and clear, or you could be "punny")
P1- What is it about? (50 wds)
P2- What is it like? - MAKE SURE that your comparisons are to things other than another video!
P3- Who is this video good for (or bad for)? Make your audience recommendations and explain why.
P4- If you like this you might also like... -MAKE SURE to compare it to another video in this paragraph
ADD a rating scale
INCLUDE the URL (web address) for your video.
Finally, write a 140 Character MINI-Review like a TWEET in Twitter as the final word in your review.


Narrative and Descriptive Paragraphs
()
Based on the class lesson about Narrative and Descriptive paragraphs, write the following:

1. ONE Paragraph frame and the Narrative Paragraph that goes with it.
2. ONE Paragraph frame and the Descriptive Paragraph that goes with it.
Remember the following list that we covered in class:
LETTER
SYLLABLEWORDCLAUSESENTENCEPARAGRAPHCOMPOSITION
Hand in online, use Times New Roman, 12 point, double spaced!